Elementals || Grishaverse

Chapter 49: The End

Adaline was under no fear about the Darkling because she was stronger than he could ever be. It had taken her some time, longer than she would have had it been, but she was ready for a fight that would not back off from.

"No! No...." She tried to talk to the dilemma inside her head. "You are distracting me."

"Adaline." She concentrated on her breathing. "Look at me." Though her mind told her otherwise, Adaline forced herself to look at him, who was just a few feet away from her. "Let this go. Please." His eyes begged with her. "We can go home. Together."

"Where would we go?" She wanted her voice to sound steady, but she was overwhelmed by her emotions. "Do we even have a home?" That was why they had made a dream of making their own home. The world would never accept them as they were, and they certainly would not expect two powerful beings together. Adaline did not let the weight on her chest get to her voice. "We don't have a place for us."

"That's why I did this. I did this for us!" He said. "This is my chance of making them know that we are the ones with the upper hand. We can overthrow them whenever we want, but we aren't. They live in fear of us every single day!"

"And how is that life?"

The Darkling clenched his jaw. "Did you ever really love me? I never hid who I was with you. Not once. But did you? Or was it all a scheme to get close to me to plot out your plan?"

He was doubting her love. "Of course I loved you. I've been loving you for as long as we've been alive. I've taken so many life forms just so I could be with you once again. Just so....I could be in your arms for once without having to fear the world."

Adaline didn't want to admit the feelings that had been haunting her in the back of her head. But it all made sense. Everything came to her. The way she never wanted to be with anyone, the way she was immediately drawn to the Darkling but still hated him and the way she could make sense of her life in those four lines....everything came together.

She knew what she had to do.

You are your own hero. Never forget that.

"We can still do that." The Darkling was trying so hard to convince her. "We can take over the throne. Let's rule side by side. As equals. All we have ever wanted was to be with each other. Don't let the Morana inside you take that away from us. We can create a better Ravka....a safer Ravka."

As much as she wanted to say yes, the bigger picture was clear in front of her eyes. Her heart wanted her to say yes but her mind disagreed. "You know you're lying, Aleksander. You've always wanted power....when all I ever wanted was your love."

He wouldn't stop with Ravka. He would make it his mission to safe the Grisha all over the world, no matter the consequences.

Ravka was a never ending story that could never be treated. But he was firm on that decision, which only made Adaline's plan clearer. She had to do it, whatever it took.

"But you do have it. I love you, Adaline!" He was ready to show her that he meant it. "More than anything. I've never loved anyone and you know that. Every time you've come into my life, you've destroyed any form of wall that I've created. It has taken me years to not let anyone in, but you do that. Every time!" He calmed down once again. "Stop this and come with me."

Adaline recognised the look on his face again.

She knew what had to be done.

"Alright."

There was a huge relief for the Darkling. But both of them knew that history repeated. History had to be repeated. It was fate and destiny's cruel game that they were playing.

Adaline walked towards him and cupped his face. There was a certain pain in both of their eyes for what they were about out. He was about to pull her into a kiss when she finally felt the sharp pain in her stomach that she had seen coming long before.

But Adaline wasn't the one who was surprised.

The Darkling was. "You knew."

She stumbled as the pain reached her heart. The Darkling had stabbed her like he had before. "Of course I did."

He held her like he had a million times before. He held her while she fell to the ground but he wouldn't allow that to happen. He kept a hand behind her neck to support her head as he let his legs stumble to the ground.

"Why did you let me do this!" He couldn't believe that even then, she had chosen him.

A faint smile spread across her face as a single teardrop fell down her face. She placed her bloodied hand on his cheek. He was crying. His gray eyes were filled with grief. She didn't know what to say. She had already said her goodbyes.

It was time for her to tell him the truth about her plan.

"All I ever wanted was you....you will meet me again, my love." Those were the words she always told him. He didn't want to meet again without his memories, only to fall in love with her and make a decision that would either end her or him. "This isn't our end. I won't come in this form again but I will come....and then, we will meet again."

"What...." His voice trembled.

"I'll be waiting for you in our dream." She whispered, letting her body take control of her powers. "I won't remove your memories this time, my love."

The Darkling understood what that meant. "Adaline...."

She smiled. "I'm once again in your arms. My wish comes true every time. It's always you, Aleksander. It's....always been you. You are worth it. You are worth....everything."

Life started to fade away from her eyes. The Morana of Life was gone. "I love you." She took her last breath to whisper the words that she never told anyone....but him.

The Darkling held her lifeless body in his arms. "No. No, oh Saints, please no." He wrapped his arms around her and screamed through the pain. He did not want to do it but he did what had to be done.

He didn't realise that it was exactly what Adaline wanted. She wanted to die. And I'm tired. She wanted an out....with him. She could have killed him as well. She always had a knife strapped to the sleeves of her dress.

But she chose to let him live....and her die once and for all..

"What have I done?"

He held her face in his hand and brushed his forehead against hers. They wouldn't meet again. He wouldn't see her doe eyes or hear her musical laugh again. She was gone. "How many more times, love? How many more!"

He shook his head as he let the tears engulf him.

"Why!"